NEW YORK -- Forward Michael Grabner scored the winning goal in his first game against his former team and goalie Jonathan Bernier made 25 saves to help the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the New York Islanders 3-1 at Barclays Center on Sunday.
New York traded Grabner to the Maple Leafs on Sept. 17. He played five seasons with the Islanders and had 144 points in 297 games. He scored against his former teammates at 3:13 of the second period, 100 seconds after Tyler Bozak gave Toronto a 1-0 lead.
The Maple Leafs (13-14-7) outshot the Islanders 28-14 through two periods, including 16-6 in the second. New York goalie Thomas Greiss finished with 35 saves.
James van Riemsdyk also scored an empty-net goal for the Maple Leafs, giving him goals in three straight games and six in the past seven.
Toronto improved to 5-1-3 in its past nine games. Bernier has won three of his past four starts after being the losing goalie in his first 11 decisions of the season (0-8-3).
James Reimer dressed as Bernier's backup; it was his first time dressing for a game since Dec. 3 because of a groin injury.
Islanders forward Nikolay Kulemin cut Toronto's lead to 2-1 at 12:30 of the third period with his first goal since Oct. 20, a span of 30 games. He scored on a deflection of defenseman Nick Leddy's slap shot.
The Islanders (19-12-5) have lost four of their past five games since their 8-0-2 stretch from Nov. 27-Dec. 13. However, they killed off two power plays, running their streak of successful penalty kills to 35 in a row. They haven't allowed a power-play goal in 14 straight games.
Bozak gave Toronto the 1-0 lead by scoring off of an end-boards rebound at 1:33 of the second period.
Maple Leafs forward P.A. Parenteau led the rush down the left wing and found defenseman Roman Polak trailing into the play. Polak's backhanded shot from between the circles went wide to the left of the net, but it came back out on the other side and Bozak was there to knock it in.
Grabner scored his 6-on-5 goal at 3:13 by finishing off a long shift in the attacking zone against a group of tired Islanders.
Islanders forwards John Tavares, Brock Nelson and Ryan Strome created pressure and had two shots on goal against Bernier before the Maple Leafs got the puck out. The Islanders, including defensemen Brian Strait and Thomas Hickey, couldn't get a line change and were stuck in the defensive zone when the referee signaled for a delayed penalty.
Bernier went to the bench and Toronto took advantage with six skaters on the ice by working the puck around the zone. Defenseman Morgan Reilly eventually put a shot on goal from the top of the zone. It hit off of Greiss' pads and bounced out to Grabner in the slot for his rebound goal.
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